Romantic Mercy
by hyacinthian
Summary: An assignment, a misunderstanding, a resignation, a wrongful marriage, a love reignited. A happy ending? We'll see. [MSR]
1. A Misunderstanding

I stared down at the plastic stick in amazement. I couldn't believe it. There was no way. It had been proven. I could never have children. All because of that damned abduction. But now...oh Jesus...it had come true. I was pregnant. I felt like the happiest woman in the world. It was not just the fact that I was pregnant, but it was the fact of who was the father. I wanted to tell him so badly. Was he at work? Yes, he was. Against all of his protests, I had taken a personal day, and he had gone to work. I headed toward the J. Edgar Hoover Building in DC.  
  
After I searched our office and checked with Skinner and others, I realized that he had probably been on his way home when I was on my way to the office. With a smile, I headed back towards the apartment. Our apartment. That had such a nice ring to it. I arrived at the apartment building soon enough. I heard music softly playing. I inserted my key into the lock and turned it, opening the door to find...Mulder there, kissing another woman. A blonde. Figures. Tears blurred my vision. He pulled his lips away from hers to look at me.  
  
"Scully, wait. It's not what you think it is."  
  
I stood there, wiping away my teasr. "It's not, is it? So, basically, I'm dreaming that you're sitting here french kissing another woman?"  
  
"Scully, you don't understand." The blonde stood up, smoothing her hair. She traipsed over, an amused smile playing at her mouth. She draped herself over Mulder.  
  
"So this is the woman you've been complaining about. I see what you're getting at. She does seem a bit cold, doesn't she? It's amazing you've been with her as long as you have." I felt fury boil deep inside me. I blinked back tears again.  
  
"You ASS!" My fist coiled and I punched him in the jaw. The woman seemed appalled, but I just stomped into the apartment. I quickly threw things into a suitcase. "All this 'Scully, you're too good for me' shit...all this time, you were just playing me. Mulder, you played me for a fool. Take back all those 'I love you's and all those hugs and kisses. Obviously, I'm not good enough for you. I don't deserve them. Not if they were only lies." I zipped up my suitcase, slung my purse on my shoulder, and stalked out. I took my cell phone and threw it on the floor harshly, watching it split into a thousand pieces. I started running out into the hallway. He followed. I ran faster. He caught up within a few strides. I punched him in the stomach. "You stay the fuck away from me. I don't want anything to do with you anymore." I decided to go over to my mom's place. I threw our apartment key forcefully down against the wooden floor of the hallway. "Have your damn apartment key. Give it to your new girlfriend." I spat the words. I walked away. From him. From her. From our apartment. From our life.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Well, isn't this just the biggest shit heap of them all? This was all Skinner's fault. Assigning me the damn objective in the first place. God, why had I agreed? I had been thinking of proposing to Scully tonight, but that was obviously impossible. She was pissed at me. She was more than pissed at me. She was reeling. She was leaving our apartment, she had punched me twice, she had...God, I hoped this was only temporary. "Get out, Delila."  
  
"Fox, honey..." Isn't it amazing how much she reminds me of Diana? God. This whole thing was just so stupid.   
  
"LEAVE," I forced out. She huffily grasped her jacket and huffed out. No way was I going after her. I closed the door behind her, locked it, and bowed my head down. This was utter disaster. She had even thrown her cell phone down at the floor with such force that it broke. There was no way I could contact her now. I could try her mother's number, but I doubt that her mother would even let me speak to her even if I called. I doubt her mother would even tolerate me after I had just so ruthlessly taken her daughter's heart, removed it, and stomped on it. I took a shuddering breath to calm my tears. It didn't work. They spilled onto my cheeks. I don't know how long I remained there, in that position. Crying my eyes out. How could I have been such a bastard? Man, I'd have done things to piss her off, but this...she found me out, there was no way she would forgive me this year. She caught me kissing another woman, for God's sake! I needed to call Skinner and tell him the jig was up. No need. He called me. I ran to pick it up.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Agent Mulder," he said, sympathetically. Oh shit. No. Please don't let it be what I think it's going to be. "I was just handed Agent Scully's resignation form, her badge, and gun. I'm sorry but we have to assign you another partner on the X-Files. She's left the FBI." I closed my eyes and started crying again. "Agent Mulder? Are you all right? Do you know why she resigned?"  
  
"Sir, I was just about to call you. Um...you know how Agent Scully and I were involved?" I waited for his answer.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"She caught me...in our apartment...with her." I heard a heavy sigh. I had enunciated the words: caught, our, and her. "She didn't even give me a chance to tell her that it was an undercover assignment assigned to me by you. She punched me, sir, twice."  
  
"Damn it, Agent Mulder. I don't want her and you to be...separated...because of something the Bureau needed you to do. You guys don't deserve this."   
  
"Well, she left. She packed up. She threw her cell phone on the floor. It's not even in one piece. I have no other way of contacting her."  
  
"I'm sorry, Agent Mulder."  
  
"Yeah. You and me both." I hung up. I started pacing, feeling the tears well up again. Goddammit! She resigned. She left the X-Files. She left the FBI. She left me. All because of a stupid undercover assignment.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
A/N: For those of you reading my works (which probably won't be many), I have a lot of fanfics where I have to write other chapters for. This one is one of my high-priority ones, since I have been thinking about writing this for a loooong time. Angelic Baby, I may write another chapter to appease my fans (haha! I have fans! That's a good one!) :-) To all of you who are keeping track to see if I update Angelic Baby or any other fanfic, it might be a while. Sorry. But this one, I'll try and keep you posted.  
  
PS~Please review!! No feedback...no good story? No chapter?   
  
xoxoxo  
~Kara 


	2. A New Life

A/N: Have fun reading ^^ and remember, no reviews, possibly, no chapter!  
  
I had finally arrived at my mother's house after hour upon hour of driving. I had ran onto the porch, ringing the doorbell frantically until she had answered. How I must look. My eyes were read and tears were still falling on my cheeks. I had a suitcase in my hand. I was shaking. She welcomed me inside where she tried to warm me up and tried to make me eat something. I had placed my suitcase in my old bedroom. She finally coaxed me into telling her my story. I told her everything, sometimes pausing for a breath, sometimes I had to stop because I was crying so hard. But, eventually, all the cards were laid on the table. She sighed, contemplating.  
  
"Dana, honey, you know, this might just be a misunderstanding. Lord knows, your father and I had our share of those."  
  
"Mom, he was kissing someone else! In our apartment!"  
  
"Hmm. You are going to go back to work, though, right?"  
  
"I quit. I couldn't stand being there anymore." I paused. "I have a friend in Chicago. Her name is Alyson Free. I could room with her. She works at a hospital. She wrote to me last week. She said that her hospital had an opening. In fact, working in the ER might be fun. I miss those days."  
  
"Are you sure, Dana?"  
  
"Yes. But if you don't mind, I'd like to stay here a few days to recuperate before I go to Chicago. I might want to make arrangements with Alyson first."  
  
"It's no trouble, dear. You're welcome here anytime. You know that. You grew up in this house. You don't need to ask."  
  
"I'm kind of tired, Mom. I'm going to go up to bed, alright?" She nodded. I headed up the stairs, laying on my bed, and crying myself to sleep.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
The phone rang shrilly. I sat up in bed, rubbing my eyes. They burned. I blinked. It didn't help. I needed eye drops. I heard my mother answer the phone.  
  
"Hello? I'm not allowed to tell you, Fox." I heaved a sigh. I knew he'd try here. "I can't tell you, Fox! No...Fox!" I walked over. I motioned for her to hand me the phone.  
  
"Mulder? No, Mulder. I'm not going to listen to what you have to say. Yes, I loved you. Keyword there is loved. I don't anymore. You don't love me. Worked out perfect, huh? Mulder, don't even try calling here again. I'm not going to be here any longer. I'm leaving here, Mulder. I'm going somewhere and try as you might, you're not going to find me. Yes, I know you have the Gunmen, but I've already called them and told them what happened and they've agreed not to break confidence." I smiled smugly. I sighed again. "Good-bye, Mulder. For good." I hung the phone back on its cradle.   
  
"Is it true that you're leaving today, Dana?"  
  
"Yes. I've spoken with her very early this morning. She's already recommended me to her superiors, what with my background in the FBI and everything. She's pretty much done everything but given me 100% proof that I'm going to work there. The only thing she can guarantee me is a house. We've decided to room together."  
  
"That's great, Dana." She hugged me tightly.   
  
"I should go pack. I've got a long ways to go. I don't want to take a plane either." I started up the stairs, noticing out of the corner of my eye, my mom shaking her head in frustration.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
I sat there, dazed. She'd gone down every avenue that I was preparing to go down and she'd blocked it off. I sat there, my head in my hands. She talked to the Gunmen even. I had to laugh snidely at that. She'd known me well enough to check with the Gunmen. She was moving away. Away from him. Away from the things he had done. She was moving to start a fresh new life. Meet other people. Maybe even get married. Would she invite him? His heart twisted and lurched at the images his mind was concocting. Her leaving had been the worst thing that had happened to him. This time, it wasn't aliens. It wasn't Duane Barry. It was him. He had driven her out of his life because of a job. How screwed up was that? He didn't give a shit about his job...as long as Scully was there. Now, she wasn't. She was going to start a whole new life.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* 


	3. Forgetting

A/N: Hey! I'm glad so many of you are reviewing! ^^ My muse is happy. To answer some of your reviews...one, actually. lol  
  
Lili~He (Skinner) didn't tell her because a) she broke her cell phone, b) she's in a blind rage right now...If you meant Mulder (but typed Skinner), then, you have to remember that she was just so mad at seeing Mulder with another woman and he couldn't get a word out. Also, Delila (the blonde) thought Mulder was with her and not Scully...so...yeah...Delila pretty much made things worse.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
I knocked on the door. A woman my age, with brown hair with blonde highlights, opened the door and hugged me. "Dana! I haven't seen you in so long!" I hugged her back.  
  
"I've missed you too, Alyson. How many years has it been since high school?" Alyson whistled shrilly.  
  
"Don't want to count them. Shows how old I am. Wouldn't want that, now would we?" Her eyes flashed jokingly. "So, what's with the job change? Last I heard, you were happy with the Bureau."  
  
Scully's face flashed with sadness for a second. "Um...I just needed a change. The FBI was just...suffocating...me," she said.  
  
Alyson noticed the change in tone, one that she was quite familiar with. "I see," she said, softly. She nodded. It was an unspoken agreement that she wouldn't bring up the FBI ever again.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
I had hardly been afraid of Mulder. I doubt Frohike and Langly had ever been afraid of him either. But now, I think they were both shuddering in their boots. Mulder had practically beaten down our door. He was completely beside himself with sadness. I could see the tears that had spilled on his cheeks, the marred trail still visible. "Mulder," I began. "We can't break confidence. Not to Scully. You know that!"  
  
"Yes, but you guys know that I can't live without her and damned if I know that you guys know and I'm not going to try and get that information from you. Now, goddammit, tell me!"  
  
"Mulder..."  
  
"Just forget it," he sighed. He grabbed his jacket, shirked it on, and walked out. We locked the door behind us. Frohike looked at me.  
  
"Remind me never to piss him off," he joked, trying to clear the air with humor, but the joke hit a little close to home for both of them, who were both intimidated by Mulder just now.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
I went back to our apartment. I had long since placed her broken cell phone in my drawer, wanting the Gunmen to fix it but after what I just did, I'm not sure if I could face them again. I was so brash and harsh with them that it scared me. Is this what I was reduced to? God. The phone rang. I ran and picked it up, lying to myself by trying to convince myself that it was her.   
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Agent Mulder?"  
  
"Agent Millstone. Hi. What do you need?" All hope of her ever speaking to me again just shot out the window.  
  
"I needed your help on something. It might be someone you're familiar with, actually. He just broke out of the Illinois State Penitentiary the other day." I grimaced. Another serial killer from my past. "His name is Dane Malten." I remembered him. He killed little girls and removed different organs from each little girl. He had the organs in Ziplock bags, labeled with the girl's name, and he had them in the freezer of his refrigerator. He was a sick, twisted man.  
  
"So what do you want me to do? Go to Illinois to catch him?"  
  
"If you would want to."  
  
Well, work would definitely take my mind off of Scully. Either that or bring memories back, which was hurtful. "Definitely." What the hell was I doing?  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Dana's our new ER doctor," smiled Alyson. "She's worked with the FBI chasing down little green men." Scully's smile fell a little. Little green men. It was such a sentimental statement to her. She could hear the little chuckles around the room. "Dana, you know a few people from school. Believe it or not. I was shocked too. That's Michelle, Ashley, Lyda, Lina, Dr. Stephen Brown, Dr. Andy Taylor. Yes, I know. No, he wasn't a sheriff. And that's Dr. Parker Stevenson. You remember him, don't you?" Her eyes glimmered with teasing.   
  
"Anyway, let's get to work!" ordered Dr. Brown.  
  
Scully reminisced, bringing herself back to the good, old days. Lyda. She held that name in reverence. Scully snorted derisively. That was one of the names of the ghosts that Mulder had felt he wanted to investigate on Christmas Eve. Andy Taylor. That horrifying case in Home, Pennsylvania. That poor sherifff and his wife. All these memories that she could only hope she forgot. "Parker, how nice to see you again." He smiled.  
  
"You too, Dana. I've missed you. Everything about you. Your bright, red hair. Your smiles. Your intelligence. But most of all," he leaned closer to her ear. "I've missed your kisses." She smiled. Maybe life after Mulder would go on. She had lied that day. She had, honestly, loved him. She doubted she would ever stop, but maybe rekindling another relationship might take her mind off of it. He never loved her. She had to keep reminding herself that the Eden she had been living in was a lie. The time she had been her happiest, it was all a lie. He had probably been fucking her in their bed too. She was utterly disgusted at the thought. "Earth to Dana," teased Parker.  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"Would you like to go to dinner with me tonight? It doesn't have to be a date if you don't want it to be. I mean, our relationship was in med. school. You don't have to feel...obligated...to rekindle it if you don't want to." It might be fun, she thought. I'll give it a shot. After all, I dated him before, I had to have had some judgment back then, right? Then again, I did go with Ed Jerse. Her mind argued with itself. Her heart wasn't helping either.   
  
"Sure. It'll be fun." She watched as Parker's face lit up with happiness. She was going to get away from it all tonight. Away from the sadness. Away from the tears. Away from Mulder. Away from her child. Mulder haunted her every thought. Their cases, things they had said, euphemisms, everything. She could probably never hear a cliche again without reminiscing.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 


	4. No Fucking Way

A/N: Please review!! ^^ Sorry for any out-of-character thingies that may pop up. I'm not very good with Scully characterization. By the by, I've always been a landlubber of sorts. Never been on a plane. So, my little plane scene might be a bit off for those of you who HAVE traveled.  
  
Mulder sat and stared at the array of the numerous empty beer bottles lying there in front of him. It made him feel so useless, with her lacking from his life. Agent Millstone was coming over to give him a plane ticket to Illinois. They were going to Chicago, where Malten had run to. What fun. What joy.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Scully lay there after a decent, loveless bout of sex with her former flame. She lay there, awake, staring at the ceiling. No man held their own when she compared them to Mulder. He was the only one who was able to show any promise. She felt the tears well again. Why did it have to be that way? He said 'I love you' with so much passion, it had to be true! It had to be! She took a shuddering breath. She promised herself she wouldn't do this to herself. She loved Parker. No, he couldn't ever take Mulder's place in her heart. However, he filled that empty void in her heart. She smiled faintly. He woke up to find her staring at the ceiling. His lips pressed against hers.  
  
"Morning, beautiful."  
  
"Morning."  
  
"What do you want to do?"  
  
"Get up." He laughed. He sat up in bed, looking at her, still staring intently at the ceiling, pondering something unknown. "Parker...where do you think this relationship is going? Do you think its serious?" She was looking at him now, the soft red curls falling to frame her face.  
  
"Yes, I think its serious. I mean, we got up to the altar before. You were the one that ran. I mean, we could go up there today if we wanted to. I know that spark is still there."  
  
"Mmm."  
  
"Do you want to be married to me, Dana?"  
  
"It would certainly fulfill something inside," she said, wistfully.   
  
"Then, let's get married. I don't mean elope. I still have the engagement ring from when we were dating." She gasped. He got up, walking over, digging through a shoebox in his closet. He dug out a little black box. He popped it open, revealing a sparkling diamond, possibly quite more beautiful than it was before. She was in awe. He removed the ring and slid it on her finger.  
  
"Parker, I couldn't possibly..."  
  
"Just wear it. Tell me if you want to get married by the end of the week, all right?"  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Agent Mulder!" I shook my head fiercely, prying open my eyelids with all the force and willpower that I had in my body.  
  
"What?" I mumbled.  
  
"We're here." I was about to open my mouth to let a quip or innuendo come out. Then, it dawned on me. Scully wasn't the one waking me up. It was Agent Millstone. I was in heaven for those few hours that I was dreaming about Scully. I was in hell when I woke up and found out that me, being the jackass that I am, lost her.  
  
"All right." I stood up and we walked off the plane. We got our luggage at the baggage claim and we got a taxi to take us to the Brahms Hotel.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Dana Scully sat at the table, when a nurse caught sight of the ring on her left finger. "Who's that from? You're engaged? To who?" The nurses questioned her quickly.  
  
"Parker."  
  
"Already telling everyone? And you hadn't even given me a straight answer yet," Parker teased, kissing her quickly.  
  
"Dana!" Alyson cried. She looked up.   
  
"What? What happened? I'm on my break..."  
  
"We just got some patients for you. They just got here. Law enforcement. One of 'em got a nasty shot to the chest cavity. You're the only doctor who might be able to pull him through."  
  
"Him? It's a him?"  
  
"Yeah. And you want to know the uncanny thing?"  
  
"What?" Her throat had dried up and it felt like a desert. She had just barely been able to choke the word out.  
  
"You're his emergency contact."  
  
She stumbled over a chair as she raced through the doorway. The nurses caught her muttering something as they diligently followed. "There's no way in hell. There's no fucking way it's him. No fucking way."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
A/N: Whaddya think? XD Anyway, please review!! I'm begging you!! 


	5. Truths Revealed and Lies Respoken

A/N: Keep reviewing!!! Again, sorry if there's any mischaracterizations. Sorry for the long wait before the update. Had things to do. Things to worry about. lol Anyway, I hope you enjoy!   
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
She ran, until she reached the gurney she was looking for. Yes, he was lying on it. HE! Fox William Mulder. The very person she loved, yet despised. 'You can't die!' she thought. She was going to save him, emotional detachment or not. However, the nurse's saw the change in her skin color. She was a little pale now. "Are you okay, Dana?" Lyda asked.  
  
"Fine. Just fine. C'mon. Let's get him in the ER." And so they diligently worked, surgical instrument after surgical instrument and they still hadn't found the bullet. They had stopped the internal bleeding, and extricated the bullet. He was being sent to ICU.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
March 3rd  
Fairview Hospital  
10:13 a.m.  
  
"Mulder?"   
  
He groggily opened his eyes to see the woman who had been haunting him day and night. "Scully!" He was ecstatic, to say the least. She released a relieved sigh and walked over, sitting in a chair by his bedside. How many times had they been through this? One of them in a hospital bed and the other anxiously waiting. However, she wasn't anxious. She was just...relieved.  
  
"Mulder, I have to talk to you," she said, firmly. "About how you got shot."  
  
He laughed mirthlessly, his self-deprecating smile dimming his features. "Simple. You left me, the X-Files, FBI, everything. I was heartbroken. Agent Whats-his-name decided to call me and needed my help on a VCS case that I had worked on several years before. We got to the hotel, and were unpacking, when...speak of the devil...Dane Malten, the aforementioned serial killer, shot us. He was hiding in the hotel bathroom. He worked at the hotel before, apparently, and had a friend who was big on gossip. Word got in that FBI was here." She wrote it down, but not before a wave of rage crashed inside her. She fumed.  
  
"You were heartbroken?! Mulder, you're the one that started this in the first place. You're the one I caught kissing someone else!"  
  
"Which you never let me explain!" He jumped out of bed, removing all IVs to the best of his knowledge and grabbing his clothes in the corner and hurriedly shirking them on. He disposed of the hospital gown and began to look for his shoes. "You were so busy being mad at me that you didn't remember that there's another side to this!"  
  
"Another side?! Really?" she was close to screaming now. She was furious with him and he was making excuses.  
  
He put on his socks and jumped in his shoes, walking out into the hallway. He turned around to face her, seeing that she had followed him. "Yes, there's another side to this! There's another side to everything, but you took the first thought that popped in your head. Where is that rationalized thinking, Scully?! The one you've used to find flaws in my theories?! Huh?!"  
  
"Fine! Tell me your goddamn side of the story," she relented, chest heaving. After this, she would probably need therapy. The nurses were engrossed in this melodrama unfolding before them. They were quite interested, as was everybody else in the room, except Parker.  
  
"A few days before the incident, Skinner called me up for a private meeting, do you remember that?" he started. She nodded. "Well, he wanted me to go on an undercover assignment that the Deputy Director had assigned him. The Bureau suspected that this woman, Delila Hughes, was conspiring against the government and was stealing information from the Bureau's files, which she had access to. She had a Level 4 Clearance Badge." Scully nodded. Mulder paused. "There's this whole conspiracy folding inside the government and they choose one woman to single out," he muttered to himself.  
  
"Go on," Scully ushered.  
  
"Well, Skinner told me to butter her up and charm her and whatnot. She had a tendency to use men, and well...another guinea pig, right? Well, that was a way...the only way the Bureau could think of...to get her confession on tape. So you walked in on me while I was undercover."  
  
"And I'm supposed to believe that?" She crossed her arms across her chest defiantly. "You think I'm going to believe that bullshit?"  
  
"Yes! It's the truth, Scully."   
  
"No, it's not! You never fucking loved me in the first place!"  
  
"That's a lie, Scully," he was trying to remain calm. "That was an assumption on your part. I love you, Scully. I'm in love with you. We've had this conversation before." Parker's eyebrow twitched nervously.  
  
"Mulder, I..." She paused, thinking. "You mean that if I call Skinner right now, he'll validate what you just told me?"  
  
"I swear on Samantha's abduction," he smiled. He dug in his trenchcoat pocket and handed her his cell phone. "Go ahead. Call."  
  
.She turned on the cell phone and dialed Skinner's office number. "Walter Skinner's Office," chirped Kimberly.  
  
"Um...May I speak to AD Skinner, please?"  
  
She gasped. "Agent Scully? Oh my--they said you quit! Yes, I'll connect you now." She heard a dull clicking sound.  
  
"Skinner," he greeted.  
  
"Sir?"  
  
"Agent Scully! What can I do for you?"  
  
"Um...Did you assign Mulder on an undercover project that I knew nothing about? That invovled a Delila Hughes?"  
  
There was a long pause. "Yes. I'm sorry, but we couldn't tell you. We just hoped that we'd catch her and you'd never know the wiser. I heard that you quit the Bureau over that. I'm really sorry, Agent Scully, but that information couldn't be revealed. Even to a trustworthy agent like yourself."  
  
"I see. Thank you, Sir."  
  
"No problem."  
  
She clicked 'End'. She handed the phone back to him. "See? It wasn't bullshit after all, now was it? Do you believe me now?"  
  
She quickly processed everything in her mind. She enveloped him in a hug, tears quickly dripping down her cheeks. "Oh God, Mulder...I'm sorry." He wiped the tears away with his thumb.   
  
"It's okay, Scully," he consoled. He held her closer. The nurses were happily enjoying this little spectacle. It wasn't very often that a romantic drama unfolded beneath their very eyes. Parker set down the clipboard he was holding and skulked over.  
  
"Hello. Who are you?" Parker greeted, cheerily.  
  
"I'm...uh...Mulder."  
  
"Right. Mulder."  
  
"And who are you?"  
  
"I'm Parker Stevenson," he shook Mulder's hand fiercely. "I'm Dana's fiance." He smiled viciously. Mulder's smile fell. "In fact, we're expecting."   
  
"Uh...Right. Scully's...fiance. And you guys are expecting? That--That's wonderful." His smile fell. "Um...Scully, call me if you need me. You know my cell number. Or call the Gunmen. They can help you, maybe. Um...I hope you guys live happily ever after. Don't forget to invite me to the wedding." He walked out of the hospital, tears spilling onto his cheeks as Parker Stevenson's face lit up with malicious happiness.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
A/N-What do you think?? PLEASE!! I'm begging you!! REVIEW!!! XD No reviews, no chapter! 


	6. God, No!

A/N: Hey! Sorry for the long wait. Again, sorry for any mischaracterizations. Keep reviewing, pleeeeeeeease!  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Mulder and Scully. Chris Carter does. 1013 Productions does. Fox does. No infringement intended. Don't sue. I don't have money to afford a lawyer, and its not criminal court, so I don't think I'll get one. So...*shrug*...yeah.  
  
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
  
I sat down on the soft hotel bed. I swatted at my tears annoyingly. God. She was ENGAGED?! She was engaged to be married! Not to me, either. I had thought about proposing. The thought was in the back of my mind now. She was getting married to someone else. A prominent Chicago doctor. I could just see the smile that would light up Bill's face.   
  
*Ring* I didn't want to pick it up. I knew it would be Scully. Calling to apologize or something. I scoffed. Heh. I didn't know anything. Who knows? It could be Skinner.  
  
*Ring*  
  
*Ring*  
  
I grabbed it. "Mulder." The stupid ringing was getting on my nerves.  
  
"Mulder, it's me."  
  
"Scully. What a surprise. Hang on a second." I walked over to the little mini-refrigerator. The Bureau actually sent us somewhere worth staying in. I opened it and took a beer. I opened it and gulped down the bitter, frothy liquid.  
  
"Mulder?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"I just wanted to apologize--"  
  
"Don't bother. I'm...happy...for you guys. I mean, its not everyday that your best friend gets engaged, right? Congratulations. If I was...wherever you are...we could break open the champagne bottles, and break out the sparkling flute glasses and whatnot, but..."  
  
"Mulder, listen..."  
  
"Are you guys really expecting?" I whispered, softly.  
  
She sighed. "I'm expecting...yes." God-fucking-dammit. Its his fucking kid. Because I was too chicken shit to apologize or to explain. I sighed.  
  
"Well, congratulations. I have to go. Bye." I clicked it off. Tossing the phone on the bed, I broke down into sobs, heaving sobs that wracked my body. I looked up at himself in the mirror. My eyes had dark circles underneath and my eyes were bloodshot. "I'm such a pathetic asshole. Couldn't even keep her when I had her. Guess it was for the best."  
  
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
  
I heard the door click quietly behind me. I turned around to face Parker. "Parker!" I rushed over to him. I was so pissed at him right now.  
  
"Hey, Danes," he leaned in for a kiss. I pulled back. He appeared aggravated now. "What's the matter?"  
  
"What the fuck was that?!"  
  
"Was what?" Grr. Goddamn fucking asshole.  
  
"How'd you know I was expecting? What was that crap you pulled in the hospital today?" I needed answers! And I need them now!   
  
"Your purse fell on the floor and one of those home pregnancy test stick things fell out. It was positive." What the fuck? Asshole's never been good at lying.  
  
"YOU WENT THROUGH MY PURSE?!"  
  
"It fell on the floor," he lied, shrugging.  
  
"When exactly did it 'fall' on the floor? Hmm?"  
  
"It fell when we were in the restaurant on Wednesday," he replied.  
  
"I never took off my purse."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Shit. She found out that I was lying. Dammit. "As your fiance, aren't I entitled to go through your personal belongings?"  
  
"NO!" She raged. Goddamn. The woman could be like a volcano when she was pissed, and I had to be the ass that wouldn't move until it was too late. She just bottled up her emotions, putting on a facade, until there was too much to hold in and...Boom. Her emotions kind of exploded. "You have NO right to do that! Even if we were MARRIED! Do you know how much you hurt him?!"  
  
"Him? Who? The guy that got himself shot?"  
  
"He didn't get himself shot, Parker. He got shot by a serial killer. Okay? He's an excellent person, but he has tendencies to be more self-deprecating than a human being should be. And you know what? Thanks for having him get into that pit again when it took me so long to drag him out!"  
  
"Did he fuck you or something? Why are you so emotionally attached to HIM? The guy's a freak, Dana!"  
  
"You sound like Bill. You know what? I'm going out for some air." I caught her wrist as she was walking out. Who the fuck was she kidding?  
  
"You're not going to see him. You're not."   
  
"You're not going to tell me what to do!" I slapped her before I even knew what I was doing. She looked at me stunned a second.s  
  
"You're...Not...Going...To...Tell...Me...What...To...Do..." she repeated, slower, when her fist clashed and broke my jaw.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
I went to this park that Alyson showed me to. It was just comforting to me. After a few hours, when my anger was controlled, I decided to check up on Mulder. The repercussions of Parker's actions could be deadly.  
  
I arrived at Mulder's hotel room a while later. I knocked on the door and there was no answer. I convinced the manager to unlock the door. When I walked in, I was faced with a horrifying sight. Empty beer bottles littered the floor and there was a quarter-empty bottle of vodka lying in the corner. Mulder's body lay on the floor, his eyes closed. Oh, God, please don't let him be dead.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
A/N: So what do you think? I know it's been a while since I updated, so I'm sorry. I hope you enjoyed it! Keep reviewing!! ^^ 


	7. Lessons to Teach

A/N: Hey! I hope you enjoy this next installment. Please forward to Ephemeral or Gossamer. Uh...there's about five more installments, not counting this one. Of course, that's just a little guesstimate. I could add more if I decide to. By the way, in the story, Mulder mentions about seeing her beautiful red hair. I know he's red-green colorblind, but let's just pretend laser surgery corrected it (which I think is impossible with our current technology). Oh! Sorry for any mischaracterizations too. Anyway...  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own them. 'nuff said. If I did, believe me...series would have ended differently. But...let's not delve into that.  
  
ENJOY!!!!!!  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Ow. My head. My head hurts. So much. There's a pain in my wrist and throat too. I try to open my eyes. I look straight into the clear, cobalt eyes of an angel, glowering in the light. She has soft red hair which look beautiful in the light. My throat hurts so much.   
  
"Mulder!"  
  
I try to speak, but she talks first. "Don't try to talk, Mulder, they've intubated you. You've got a tube down your throat to help you breathe. You were unconscious."  
  
I nodded slightly. She continued. "How much alcohol could one man consume? Mulder, that was a stupid thing to do! You had me so worried! I thought you were dead. AGAIN! How many times are you going to do that to me?"  
  
I didn't want to hurt her. Never in a million years would I want to hurt her.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Mulder! You--God, what were you thinking?!"  
  
"Get," he rasped out, "the tube out."  
  
"Mulder..."  
  
"Now," he continued.  
  
I signaled for the nurse, and against her warnings, removed it anyway. He took a few deep breaths and I handed him a glass of water. He drank it in a few gulps, then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "Scully...I drank because I wanted to forget." I opened my mouth up to talk, but he raised his hand for silence. I closed my mouth. "I wanted to forget everything. I wanted to forget you. I wanted to forget the fact that I love you so much it hurts. I wanted to forget the fact that you're engaged to another man. I wanted to forget that you left because I was on an undercover assignment. I wanted to forget that you're pregnant with someone else's child." He took a deep breath. "Scully, without you, I have nothing to live for. Can't you see that?"  
  
Oh my God. Jesus. Why didn't he...a tear dripped from my eye down to my cheek. I was never this emotional. Only Mulder could do this to me. "Mulder, do I have permission to speak now?" My tone was sharp and I was taken aback by the rudeness that was found. He nodded. "I have something to tell you. Mulder, I--I love you too. I was just so mad at you cheating on me that I wanted to forget it. I came here and I slept with Parker because he was familiar, we were engaged before...and it made me feel wanted and loved." I stopped and paused, taking a shaky breath. I was on the verge of tears already? "The baby's yours, Mulder."  
  
"What?"  
  
"It's not Parker's. It's yours. I wanted to tell you...that was why I went to the office. When you weren't there, I doubled-back to the apartment."  
  
"Oh, shit."  
  
"Yeah. It's some crazy shit, isn't it?"  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
I had been standing outside listening to her. What the fuck was she doing? We were engaged now! She couldn't do this. Then, I heard that asshole talk again.  
  
"Scully, I was going to propose to you."  
  
I heard her gasp. Time to take action. I stomped in. "You stay the fuck away from my fiancee, you asshole! She hates you!"  
  
I grabbed her wrist and pulled her forcefully out of the room. She tried to fight. I just picked her up and threw her over my shoulder. I ran out of the hospital to the van. She squirmed the whole way, kicking and screaming.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"PUT ME DOWN, PARKER! DON'T MAKE ME SHOOT YOUR GODDAMN ASS OFF!" He threw me in the car, and locked the doors, and drove off, breaking every traffic law that was in effect. He got me to his apartment, found some rope and duct tape, and tied me to a chair. How he managed it, I have no idea. I'm bound and gagged in my fiance's apartment. There's something wrong with that sentence. He's standing there panting, all flushed.  
  
"YOU WHORE!" He slapped me hard. My cheek burned with pain and there was a large, red handmark skewered across my right cheek. He punched and my lip cracked, bleeding. "YOU BITCH!" He punched me in the stomach. "I'm going to hurt you where it hurts most, Dana, because you need to be taught a lesson.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Parker stalked through the hallways of the hospital. Stashing a drug and a hypodermic needle with a syringe in his lab coat pocket, he walked to Mulder's hospital room. "Your name is Mulder?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"This might hurt a bit." He removed the syringe and drug, and drew the drug, before plunging the needle into his jugular vein, seeing Mulder's eyeballs roll into the back of his head. "You're going to pay, you bastard. It took me so long to get her back and I'm not going to lose her to you."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
A/N: Thanks for reading! 


	8. Heartache

A/N~Keep reviewing!!! Sorry for mischaracterizations.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
I woke up with the most horrible headache. It throbbed and pulsed and I felt dizzy and nauseous. I couldn't remember what happened, but minute by minute, the pieces slid together. The memories slowly flooded my mind. Scully. Where was Scully? I forced my eyes open and felt a wave of dizziness crash down upon my head. I groaned.  
  
"Mulder? Mulder, are you awake?"  
  
"Oh, my head..." That was all I could say? The love of my life, who I was so worried about, talks and I complain about my headache. I'm an idiot.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Ah, they were up. I could hear them talking. I couldn't wait to unleash my anger on that piece of shit. He had hurt Dana. She never did know anything about personal lives. Hell, she didn't have one until she was in Med. school. I was going to make both of them pay. Mulder or whatever the hell his name is has to be punished. He hurt Dana. She's carrying his child, for God's sake! Dana needs to be punished, for infidelity. Tsk tsk tsk. People these days.  
  
"Are you okay, Mulder?" Her tone was so compassionate, so loving. NO, dammit! She loved HIM and ONLY him. He was the love of her life. He was her fiance. "PARKER! What the hell did you inject him with?"  
  
"I'm fine, Scully. No need to unleash the wrath of your killer physician fiance, you know. Urg...one time was enough."  
  
I walked out where they could see me. I still had my white lab coat on. They were going to atone for their crimes. Absolution was absolutely necessary. "You're both going to receive punishment for your crimes."  
  
"What crimes do I have to atone for?" Mulder asked.  
  
"Hurting Dana. Forcing her to sleep with you and impregnating her in the process!" I yelled. I punched his jaw. He started to squirm in his chair. "You do not ask the questions. Dana, you have to atone for your infidelity."  
  
They both began to squirm in their chairs. I saw Mulder's eyes dart around. "Looking for this?" I showed him his gun. "Dana, you have the less serious crime. You get to be absolved of your crimes. And you get to watch, you sick fuck." I turned her chair to face him. I punched her, giving her a black eye. She struggled against her binds.   
  
"YOU ASSHOLE! GET ME OUT OF THIS RIGHT NOW!" I punched her jaw. I slapped her, repeatedly, tinging her cheeks a rapidly darkening pink. I wrapped my hand firmly around her throat.   
  
"Say you're sorry."  
  
"WHAT?!"  
  
"Say it," I said, sternly, tightening my grip. She was silent. I tightened it further, to the extent where, if she didn't say it soon, she would suffocate. "Say it...now."  
  
"I'm sorry," she rasped out. I let go. She sat there, coughing, panting, and trying to get her breathing under control. I turned to face Mulder. He was panting and his eyes were flaring with rage.  
  
"If you have something with me, then take it out on me. Not her. She's pregnant!" I walked over to him. I smirked.  
  
"You want to be hurt?"  
  
  
  
"Yes. Anything to stop you from hurting Scully." This would be much more fun than I had ever imagined.  
  
"Absolving you of your sins may take forever. You're going to burn in hell either way. There is no absolution for you, but I will do my best." I punched him frantically, hitting his jaw and eye and stomach. He didn't seem to flinch. He seemed to take the hits courageously. I stomped into my kitchen and grabbed a knife. It wasn't a paring knife, but it was slightly larger and sharper. I grasped his arm and held it firmly. I dug the knife into his arm, tearing the fragile skin. I drew a line from directly underneath the arteries and veins in his wrist up to his elbow. Blood oozed out. He clenched his teeth and breathed hastily in and out.  
  
"MULDER!" I heard Dana cry out. I grinned and smirked. I don't think I could ever receive such satisfaction, joy, and pleasure from this. I repeated the action to the other arm. The blood slowly dripped from the sides of his arms. Then, I took the knife and plunged it in his stomach. He groaned. I untied their binds. Dana punched me hard.  
  
  
  
"Death will come on swift wings for your partner, Dana. The devil will surely want him back. He's caused hell on this earth, all right." She quickly bound me to her chair and placed duct tape over my mouth. I saw the Mulder fellow crawling on the ground, leaving a bloody trail behind him, like a snail leaves a greasy trial. I saw him ease into unconsciousness.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Mulder?" I lifted his head onto my lap. He needed medical attention and fast. I quickly found a phone and dialed for an ambulance. It arrived shortly. The paramedics loaded him onto a stretcher and I followed them to the hospital. Hopefully, it would be the hospital where I work and I could help them save his life. His life was too important to the future of the world to be sacrificed by some attack from a jealous lover.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*  
  
Yes, I know...I'm evil. *grin* Anyway, I hope you liked it!!! 


	9. AntiEvanescent

**_Romantic Mercy _**

**A/N: This is the final chapter. I am so incredibly sorry that I let it drag on all this time. My muse was mad at me for writing such a cliffhanger and didn't speak to me for a year. But it's back again! I hope you like it and I thank you all for reviewing. It's the most number of reviews I've gotten everywhere.**

Ex-Special Agent Dana Scully was cool, calm, and collected to the point where suspects were oftentimes intimidated although they would never admit it. She sat in that horribly putrid hospital waiting room where the scent of bedpans, blood, vomit, and aerosol cleaning sprays filled the air. She was horribly impatient. She had Irish blood running through her veins and when she was angry, she would flush red. Embarrasingly red. Now? Now, she wasn't that confident person who drilled suspects for answers. She wasn't that person who screamed at Mulder to leave that building. She wasn't that person who yelled at Mulder to stop the game of Russian Roulette with Modell. She was horribly, frighteningly not herself. She was like her own worst caricature.

_I'm so tired of being here_

Parker had been arrested for attempted murder, assault and battery. He could possibly be arrested for a felony. Scully wished with all her might that he would get arrested for that felony, but she hoped to God that Mulder wouldn't die.

_Suppressed by all my childish fears _

She sighed and held her head in her hands. She must look a wreck. She had gone with the paramedics on the ambulance and after a doctor stitched up minor wounds, she was left to wait. And there she learned the grievous torture that was the hospital. She had heard of it before. And she knew _the face_. The blank stare, with few blinks spaced in there, where the doctor would say stoicly, "I'm sorry. My condolences. I'll leave you to make arrangements." That voice was oftentimes stiff. She, as a medical doctor, had tried to put some empathy and sympathy ingrained in that voice but she could not overwhelm the statistics. Many doctors did that voice and usually, family members would act out violently—yelling and screaming and fighting for their lost loved one. It was a battle she hoped she'd never fight. She hadn't fought it before. Her mother had, with the loss of her father and Melissa.

_And if you have to leave _

She hoped he didn't.

_I wish that you would just leave_

She didn't.

_Coz your prescence still lingers here_

It did. When she had believed that he had cheated on her, been unfaithful, she could smell him everywhere. That wonderful blend of masculinity with his cologne and—it just suffocated her. She had to get out of that apartment or she would have asphyxiated on that scent that she adored. Would she ever smell that scent again?

_And it won't leave me alone _

_These wounds won't seem to heal_

Those emotional wounds had been holding her hostage ever since she had walked in on him and that sorry excuse for a bimbo. Like Carrie Bradshaw said in one episode, "The idiot stick figure with no soul."

_This pain is just too real_

_There's just too much that time cannot erase_

She couldn't forget it. It was a scene that would forever be ingrained in her memory. The sight of Parker stabbing Mulder. God, he had to strike something major, didn't he? The doctor walked out—the picture perfect image of hygiene. His face was worn with wrinkles and freckles showing that he had seen too much that he didn't want to see.

"Miss Scully?"

"Yes, Doctor? How is he?"

"He's survived, thank God. He's in ICU right now. But we expect he'll be able to recover soon."

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

The day when Mulder walked out of that hospital room was the day she thought that she'd rejoin her faith. She'd be religious now and she would wear that cross with pride. God had helped save him. God was—God had to be a reason and no matter how much her brain would argue that medicine saved him, not God. She knew that because of this experience, her heart would lie with God. She remembered the scene well. He hobbled out, his left ankle in a little splint to aid his walking.

_When you cried, I wiped away all of your tears _

She was crying. She had tears streaming down her face every which way and he walked up and enveloped her in a hug. He soothed her and stroked her hair back. 

When you screamed, I fight away all of your fears

"I was so scared, Mulder. I was so scared that you were going to die. And I love you." He kissed the top of her head. 

"It's okay. I'm here now. You don't have to be afraid."

And I've held your hand through all of these years 

His hand found hers and they squeezed together in that way that they could not express with words. It was their way of communicating and damn all who wouldn't accept it.

You still have...all of me. 

"I love you so much."

"Come on. What say you to a coffee and a biscotti? I know this great Italian cafe," Mulder offered. His hand slipped to the small of her back, like it had so often.

"Mulder!" she feigned shock. "Am I sensing cultured taste? Be careful. Next thing you know, you might sell your copy of 'Debbie Does Dallas' on e-Bay and then, you'll shock the world."

He laughed and they walked out of the emergency room, out of the hospital, and into their lives.

~Fini

A/N: So, did you like it? I'm sorry for stringing you all along for so long, but...::shrug:: So says the muse, eh? Well, I will talk to you all later. And please send feedback.


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